At the same time, a curvaceous, stylish woman crossed the street, slipped into a narrow alley, and finally entered a nondescript room.
Inside, a man wearing a strange metal helmet stood by the window, gazing out at the flowing traffic of the city with a deep, pensive look.
"Erik, I've discovered some news. Both Stryker and Charles are searching for a mutant named Aurelius Viremont. Interestingly, his recorded ability is only Level 1 Energy Absorption. I suspect he has undergone a secondary awakening, which is why he's suddenly caught their attention."
Magneto did not turn around. He continued to watch the world below—specifically the "ordinary" humans who lacked mutant powers.
"Energy absorption... Raven, make contact with Aurelius Viremont immediately. We must reach him before they do. Any mutant that draws the simultaneous focus of both Charles and Stryker is undoubtedly exceptional. Recruit him into the Brotherhood."
Aurelius Viremont was unaware that his secondary awakening had turned him into a target for several major factions.
By now, he had left Hell's Kitchen. Using US dollars "donated" by the friendly gang members, he had purchased a fresh set of clothes and taken a hot shower at a local inn.
Because he was constantly absorbing energy and using it to reinforce his body, his injuries were healing at a rate far exceeding that of a normal human—even without the Reverse Cursed Technique. Even the old scars were beginning to fade, revealing fair, unblemished skin.
Donning a pair of round-frame sunglasses, he looked entirely transformed. Gone was the battered mess from the underground dungeon; in his place stood a strikingly handsome young man standing 190cm tall.
After bidding farewell to the innkeeper—who watched him leave with a look of profound regret—Aurelius Viremont stepped out onto the street. With the military hunting him and the shadow of Kingpin looming, he had no intention of staying in one place for long.
He opened his system panel and checked his reserves.
[Energy Points: 3,425]
After several hours of non-stop absorption, his points had reached a staggering three thousand! He immediately dumped them all into the system. His template integration surged, finally coming to a halt at 23%.
The system notification chimed:
[Template Integration: 23%]
[New Skill Unlocked: Reverse Cursed Technique]
[Reverse Cursed Technique Lv.1 (1/100): Converts the negative energy of Cursed Energy into positive energy. Possesses extreme healing effects.]
Finally! The Reverse Cursed Technique!
With this, Aurelius Viremont's survivability reached a new peak, granting him a self-healing factor even more potent than the Lizard's. According to the information in his mind, he couldn't use it on others yet—only himself. But as the level increased, he would eventually be able to heal others, restore the essence of objects, or even bring the dead back to life.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, through the Six Eyes, Aurelius Viremont detected a figure rushing toward him at high speed. It was a massive man, over two meters tall, barreling through the street with total disregard for the civilians in his path. People were sent flying like bowling pins; cries of pain filled the air as bystanders were seriously injured or killed by the sheer force of the collision.
Further back, drones and military units were closing in.
The giant stopped. His muscles were corded and thick, his skin a deep, stony grey. Veins throbbed like writhing snakes beneath the surface, pumping energy into his hulking frame. On his back sat a dwarf-like, shriveled man who looked incredibly frail compared to the giant carrying him.
Aurelius Viremont didn't run. Based on the speed he'd observed with the Six Eyes, the giant was much faster than him. Unless he mastered "Teleportation"—the advanced application of "Blue"—he wouldn't be able to outrun him. Unfortunately, his "Blue" was still too low-level for that.
The giant stopped ten meters away, his bare feet digging into the pavement and shattering the concrete to kill his momentum. Debris sprayed toward Aurelius Viremont, but the rocks simply froze in the air, unable to touch him.
The giant nodded. "White hair, blue eyes, and that weird ability. You must be Subject 9527."
"9527?" Aurelius Viremont frowned. The number was familiar—wasn't that a reference from the movies? Why was this brute using it as a name?
The giant didn't care for his confusion. "9527, don't resist. Come back with us. Colonel Stryker wants to see you. Don't make this difficult; you don't want to be carried back with your limbs twisted into knots."
The brute spoke with total arrogance, clearly viewing Aurelius Viremont as nothing more than prey to be bagged. He lunged forward to grab Aurelius Viremont, but his hand stopped inches away, hitting the invisible wall of infinity.
The Limitless Technique.
The giant's face twisted into a snarl. "Looks like you need to be taught a lesson. I'll set some rules for you before you join the program!"
Aurelius Viremont nudged his sunglasses up slightly, revealing a flash of sapphire. He casually stuck a pinky finger into his ear, pulled it out, and mockingly blew the "dust" toward the giant. He gave the brute a brilliant smile, though his eyes remained ice-cold.
"Rules? Sure. Here's the rule: if you cry and apologize right now, I'll let you live."
Arrogance!
Unable to stomach being belittled by his target, the giant unleashed a flurry of punches, but none could bridge the gap. Aurelius Viremont lowered his glasses and began to walk forward. The giant felt an overwhelming pressure, a force so immense that his prideful, massive body found itself utterly helpless against it.
The military units arrived, opening fire with everything they had. Bullets rained down, but they too were caught in the void. Amidst the hail of lead, Aurelius Viremont pinned the giant against a wall, the brickwork crumbling under the pressure of his advance.
"Not going to cry and beg yet?" Aurelius Viremont asked calmly.
Looking at the enemy before him, the giant finally realized the gap in their power. Fear filled his mind. Dropping the plan, he screamed, "Do it now!"
In that instant, Aurelius Viremont felt a familiar ripple in the air. Space itself was warping!
He looked at the dwarf on the giant's back—it was him. A colorless, invisible spatial blade streaked toward Aurelius Viremont at a speed that made evasion impossible.
Slash!
The sound of tearing flesh echoed. Amidst the giant's ghoulish laughter, the spatial blade struck true. Aurelius Viremont was nearly cut in half!